Vision TULSA - The Tulsa City Council

c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 6 1Mocha is one of numerous manufacturers takingadvantage of a continued weak dollar. It meansAmerican-made products are cheaper overseasand opens the door to new, international customers.“The dollar is still low, and with rapid growth inmany emerging economies, exports are the fastestgaining segment of manufacturing sales,” Pickenssaid. “That puts many U.S. firms in a betterposition to compete in international markets.”entered the sessions with few foreignsales—anticipates exports will now remainabout 40 percent of its total revenue.A plethora of other local resources helps maintainthe city’s progressive atmosphere. Tulsa’s highereducationinstitutions provide strong support forthe industry. The University of Tulsa, OklahomaState University-Tulsa, Tulsa Community College(TCC), Rogers State University, and NortheasternState University-Broken Arrow work closely withthe Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and areamanufacturers to strengthen the workforce.Other valuable educational resources supportingmanufacturing development include theAdvanced Technology Center at OSU-Tulsa(part of Vision 2025), the Oklahoma Centerfor Integrated Design and Manufacturing(a joint effort of OSU, OU, and TU) andcustom-designed, associate-degree programsdeveloped by Tulsa Community College (TCC).The Business and Industry Training Serviceat Tulsa Tech is among the most effective inthe nation. Tulsa Tech recently opened a newautomotive, robotics, and manufacturing facilityat its Broken Arrow Campus. Programs there willfocus on advanced manufacturing principles withan emphasis on alternative fuels technology.The Tulsa Metro Chamber also understandsthe importance of manufacturing, said Mocha.“Partnering with the city’s political leaders,the Tulsa Metro Chamber has manufacturersin strategic leadership positions and workswith local and state political leaders to createa pro-business climate for manufacturers.”The Chamber consults with manufacturerswhen establishing its legislative agenda.“Because legislative issues are so importantto manufacturers, the Chamber continuallymonitors the pulse of the industry and helpsprovide access to legislative leaders. Helpingcreate a pro-business atmosphere is a vitalpart of local and state politics,” he added.These resources are helping local manufacturersmeet their most fundamental challenge:the availability of a qualified workforce.“Our biggest obstacle is finding enough skilledemployees. If we can develop and train theright people, I think manufacturing has a brightfuture,” Cheryl Hill said. “But that means weThe Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance coordinatesa program that helps state manufacturersincrease their foreign-customer base. A joint effortwith the Oklahoma Department of Commerce,ExporTech helps companies enter or expand intoglobal markets. It assists in the developmentof a customized international growth plan,which is vetted by experts and supported bya team of organizations that help companiesmove quickly beyond planning to actual exportsales. Participants work as a group through aprocess to accelerate the pace and increase thesuccess rate of international sales efforts. Unlikea static classroom environment, this courseis customized to the specific learning needsof participants and produces an internationalgrowth plan for each company. During thethree sessions, spanning approximately threemonths, the participating companies gain anunderstanding of how exports can be a majorgrowth driver, identify hurdles to expansion, andwork with the facilitators to develop a customizedinternational growth plan for their company.One state manufacturer recently completedthe program and exports increased adramatic six-fold. The company—whichTULSA MANUFACTURING MIX 2012Sector SIC Firms EmployeesPrimary & Fabricated Metal Industries 33-34 482 16,530Machinery (except electrical) 35 491 8,245Transportation Equipment 37 93 5,970Measuring & Analyzing Instruments 38 125 3,511Food, Beverage, & Tobacco 20-21 91 4,383Glass, Stone, Clay & Concrete Products 32 80 2,997Printing, Publishing, & Allied Industries 27 311 2,762Computers, Electrical, & Electronic Equipment 36 127 2,620Plastic & Rubber Products 30 73 2,234Chemicals & Allied Products 28 114 1,682Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries 39 201 1,458Paper Products 26 22 900Petroleum Refining & Related Industries 29 41 1,186Apparel, Textiles, Leather 22,23,31 103 780Lumber & Wood Products 24 84 693Furniture & Fixtures 25 41 452Total 2,479 56,403Sectors are based on SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes 20-39.Source: Based on data from Dun & Bradstreet, October 2011.Compiled by Research Wizard, Tulsa City-County Library.Geographic Region: Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area.62 VISION TULSA 2012 | t u l s a c o u n c i l . o r g